Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-07-14

A brisk little incident was interpolated
in the festivities at Washington wedding
last week. Soon after the nuptial lunch had
been eaten and while the sable banjoist was
tuning up preparatory to rendering saita-
torial break down, the mother of the BRIDE
missed several silver spoons from the whllom
festive board. No one having noticed Ben
Butler anywhere around suspicion at once
fen on the musical string picker, and the
simultaneous focus Of all eyes in his diree-
ton admonished the disciple of Orpheus
to energetically prove an alibi. With this
laudable determination and his yellow eye
balls rolling, the aged darkey dropped the
banjo. slid thro' the door way and struck
out at a Gilpin gait for liberty and life. His
sudden, unceremonious clearout confirmed
the general mistrust and roomful ofindig-
nant guests, headed by the groom himself,
took TO their heels in Africa's mad pursuit.
Ii was a beautiful picture. CuHee had a
fine start and in his wild flight riverwards
with coat-tails floating and look Of ami
mated resolve on his shining face he might
have easily been taken for Erebus on tear
pronounce it tare, please. As he shot
past the scuddiDg lamp-posts an artistically
gotten-up negro blew police whistle and
its shrill note spurred our speeding Sambo
to sublime effort. His No. 10 gufiins hard
ly touched the earth. He sped like the
wind while half a square behind aim the
mob OF perspiring chiyalry and two yigilant
cops pressed nobly on An hour later a
limp lot of bafled pursuers trudged YEARLY
back TO the bridal threshold where they met
the old lady with her countenance wreat he'd
in smiles. She had fo,md her spoons.
A New York specialist calmly asserts that
every glass of iced water the Gothamite
drinks contains from $4,000 to $4,000 liy-
ING bacteria. The half pint Of Croton wa
ter. as he demonstrates, has some $4,000 OF
these parasitic animalcules to start with,
and the little piece of ice from 1000 to S22-
GOO more Reassuring, isn't it, just now
when the prohibitists are striving to make
water drinking compulsory Then, again,
down in the southwest an Araimchc cor
respondent comforts his readers, saying -
Memphis may congratulate herself that
she is not the only city in the United States
whose residents are forced 20 clasp their
nostrils between foreiinger and thumb OF
one hand while they raise glass of water
from the pumps to their lips with the other.
Reckon this smiling Valley OF ours ought to
more than satisfy us-iu one regard at least.
W. Z. Richards of the ClarkSburg 75is-
qr,m was shot in the arm and mouth, few
days ago, by Mr. Lee II. Vance of the
Clarksburg Ne,rs. The occasion of the rem
contre was a reflection by Richards upon
the integrity of the dead mother Of Mr..
Vance. An exchange says "no purer OF
more upright woman than Mrs. Vance ever
lived. We reckon he went hunting for
Richards and shot him in the mouth be-
cause il was FOUL Richards publishes the
most abusive paper in the State and conse-
quently he is in a chronic condition for
5roils. As soon as Richards is himself a.
gain he will say something naughty
Il 4, somewhat allitoratiye, tho an axiom,
our remark that it is, in the long run in deal
ings with men, more profitable to be prompt
ed bv principle than to pursue and pcrsc-
cute-and boycott, ifyou please, upon finn
sy pretoxts OF from feelings of personal
piQuc. Whole families and their collater-
ais may profit, politically, pecuniarily and
Intellectually, by recalling the fact, or get
ting q knowledge Of it somehow, that priu-
ciple Is eleyating and everlasting, but pique
not atall enduring or eunobling.
The Pope has expressed his friendly feel
iug for France and his wish that by pacific
measures he could help restore Alsace and
Lorraine He gave his opinion GA French
statesman that the equilibrium Of Europe
would remain unsettled until France had
regaiucd her proper position among the ma
tions, and declared his love for that people.
There's popular demand for the restora-
ton of Boulanger to official Importance and
his early return to the head of the war de
partmcnt is probable.
Fourteen years ago the sheriff Of Gallo
,vav county Ev.-one SWiN-weut out of